


Love Sees Through All Lies

by BrokenWingedTenshi



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU, Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir Needs a Hug, Bottom Tim Drake, Breaking the Fourth Wall, F/F, F/M, Gay Panic, Girl Power, Good Lila Rossi, I Don't Even Know, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I'm Going to Hell, Lesbian Character, Lesbian Miraculous Holders, Lila Rossi Redemption, Luka Couffaine Knows, M/M, Maribat April Angst Apocalypse, Multi, Nino Lahiffe Is So Done, Peacock Lila Rossi, Peacock Miraculous, Protective Tim Drake, Rare Pairings, The Author Regrets Everything, The Author Regrets Nothing, This Is Not Going To Go The Way You Think, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, Tim Drake is Red Robin, What Have I Done, the gays stay winning
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:14:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23647531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrokenWingedTenshi/pseuds/BrokenWingedTenshi
Summary: Lila Rossi knows she's not a good person. Everyone in Paris knows it. She's lied, cheated and manipulated to get what she wanted. That's all in the past now, not that most people believe her. (Even though she has a miraculous, which only her teammates know.) Luckily for Lila, she has three faithful friends. Marinette, Alya, and Chloe are still with her. Even after all she's done.When Chloe brings the girls to Gotham with her for a celebration after the defeat of Hawk Moth, never one to take no for an answer, the Wayne Gala at the beginning of the summer is supposed to be fun. A break from all the stress of everyday life. So why is it that Lila feels she's being stared at?Tim Drake was always one for a good mystery. So when he sees four girls that are graceful, well built, and look suspiciously like certain spandex clad Parisians, he can't resist trying to talk to them. But if he's right, why are they so far from home? And why does the Peacock girl keep running away from him?!
Relationships: Alya Césaire/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Batfamily Members & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Jason Todd/Chloe Bourgeois, Lila Rossi/Tim Drake, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Damian Wayne, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Dick Grayson, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Jason Todd, Selina Kyle/Bruce Wayne
Comments: 4
Kudos: 78





	1. Ice Queen Face

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lila is a little bit scarred, Marinette is a BAMF, and Tim thinks Lila is very special.

Lila hadn't planned on this. Really, she hadn't. But then, could anyone really plan around Chloe Bourgeois? Since getting back her miraculous and building a new bee hero (Empress was a bit full of herself, but a good hero nonetheless), she had been even more stubborn than usual. More protective too, though Lila blamed that on her kwami bond.

Since the reveal of all their identities, Lila's included (Duusu was still reeling, but Lila had turned out to be a wonderful holder, and Guardienne was a great help to the miraculous team), Chloe had kept a close watch over all of them. No one attacked the Queen's subjects. Chloe had a sting worse than almost anything. So even though Lila had put her class through a lot, no one bothered her. For that, she was grateful. Still, it was a bit smothering to have Chloe around all the time. The blonde was a bit of a clinger.

In any case, no matter how Chloe asked, when she had proposed the celebratory trip the immediate answer should have been no. So why wasn't it? Lila's eyes scanned the crowd of well dressed people, eyes landing on the blue haired girl in her sparking red dress, wing-like shapes on the back in translucent fabric and black gloves up to her elbows. Her waist length hair was pulled up in a high ponytail, and her eyes sparkled. A slight smile tugged across Lila's lips. Oh right. Because Marinette had said so. She thought it would be good for them to get out of Paris. Now that Hawk Moth was taken care of, they could finally take a break from Paris.

They had invited the full-time boys to come, but they were busy. Adrien needed to spend some time with his mother, healed by Ladybug but left without her husband. Nino would never leave his best friend in his time of need (but Adrien wouldn't have let him stay behind just for him, so he said he still had to watch Chris while his mother worked). Luka was touring with his father Jagged Stone, revealed by an akumatized Anarka after Jagged didn't even answer her e-mails about going to one of Kitty Section's concerts to see him in action.

So it was just the girls. The part-time heroes had a celebration of their own planned, and Lila was glad they seemed happy. All miraculous holders had been allowed to reveal their identities (but only to the other holders) it they so chose after the defeat of Hawk Moth. Marinette didn't want the media harassing them or any enemies of the old order trying to get information from them. 

It was easier for Lila in class after that. A year and a half before the defeat of Hawk Moth, the restored butterfly brooch and the tablet with the decoded Miraculous Grimoire on it had been recovered from Mayura during another Scarlet Moth incident. Afterward, Duusu had decided that she wanted to be a part of the solution to this problem. She chose Lila without any input from Marinette, the new Guardian. So Lila became a hero. A real one this time.

So far, she hadn't regretted anything. Well- except letting Chloe convince her to come here. Lila stuck out like a sore thumb. Her purple corset laced up tightly to emphasize her figure, leading into a layered indigo skirt, eventually fading to black at the bottom, shimmering white dots sprinkled about imitating stars. And if one looked closely, in simmering deep indigo near Lila's heart were the stylized initials 'MDC'. Her best friend's design.

The dress was beautiful, but Lila didn't feel worthy of it. Leaning against a wall close to the door, she took small sips from her champagne glass watched the room with careful eyes. From inside her purse, hung artfully from her elbow, Duusu pat her side. She almost smiled. Almost. But that feeling of eyes on her was enough to make the Italian shiver. She couldn't stand the feeling of being watched. It always reminded her of her childhood. Shaking off the thought, she looked through the crowd for Alya and Chloe.

The girls all met her worried eyes with reassuring smiles, and she took a deep breath. Everything was okay. Her friends were fine. Nothing here was going to hurt her. The elbow on her shoulder made her freeze.

"Man these parties are boring . . . care to leave it?"

Lila turned up her nose, pulling on years of experience. A derisive snort left her, and she looked the clearly drunk man up and down with clear distaste. Marinette liked to call it her ice queen face. 

"Not with you I don't. I suggest you remove that arm if you'd like it to remain intact."

The drunk didn't seem to take the hint, leaning in so close she could smell the booze on his breath.

"Come on baby, don't be like that. I just wanna-"

The images in her head were not pleasant ones. If he hadn't gotten so close she would have been fine. She grabbed his wrist and wrenched hard, the crack audible and followed by s scream.

"YOU BITCH! YOU BROKE MY FUCKING WRIST!"

Her girls were at her side in an instant. Alya held the hyperventilating Italian close, whispering comfort as Lila was lost in her memories. Memories she wished she could forget. She buried her face in Alya's neck, taking in the scent of cinnamon and the outdoors. Her unique Alya scent that helped to ground Lila a bit. In front of them stood Marinette and Chloe, arms crossed and eyes ablaze. Chloe flicked her ponytail back.

"If you hadn't been all over her like you were, she wouldn't have had to. When she said no the first time, she meant it. I should sue you."

The man grit his teeth.

"I was only trying to-"

When Marinette spoke, the room quieted immediately. Her voice was a soft lull, filled with a hostile energy that made the non miraculous holders in the room shudder in fear.

"Trying to what? . . . I suggest you get _**the fuck**_ on your feet you neanderthal. You're going to listen _**very carefully**_ to what I say next. You put your hands on one of my best friends. You sent her in a downward spiral into a panic attack that she's trying to find her way out of and instead of trying to help her I am standing here explaining to a _**grown man**_ the rules of consent. You're going to apologize for wasting our time, apologize to the host and _**get the hell out of my sight . . .**_ Or that wrist will be the least of your worries."

He scrambled up, babbling apologies and ran off into the crowd, where she could hear him asking for Mister Wayne. Marinette smiled in satisfaction before turning to Lila. She could unpack that later. First, her friend needed her.

~~~~~

Tim could not believe what he'd just seen. The rich man who always came to these parties looking for a pretty young girl to take home with him had just been schooled by not one, but four of such girls. He'd gone running for Bruce as soon as the girl with the blue hair had finished speaking. The three who had come after the initial incident stayed with her for most of the night, but she eventually convinced them that she would be fun. Reluctantly, they peeled off.

He took a deep breath, moving through the crowd and stopping two chairs away on her left side.

"You know, that was really cool."

She startled, looking up with sparkling green eyes that did funny things to his chest. Yes, he could admit that she was fairly attractive. Plump pink lips and a cute button nose, a well built, slim figure and a dress that was out of this world. He continued talking to avoid looking like he was just staring at her.

"I mean- what happened with that guy."

She gulped audibly.

"I'm sorry if it interrupted your night."

Tim scoffed, sitting down in the seat he'd been standing beside.

"No way. These parties are always so boring. You did exactly what you should have done. Honestly, you're a better person than me. I would have kicked him in the dick too."

The giggle that fell from her lips was the sound he didn't know he'd been waiting to hear. He could listen to that for hours. She showed a small smile, and he could feel his heart speeding up in his chest.

. . .

Oh no.

"My name is Lila Rossi. It's nice to meet somebody who's as bored as I am."

He smiled back, and the pink that filled her cheeks made her panic. Her heart sped up and she fought down the welling panic in her chest. Oh no.

"I'm Tim Drake. It's nice to meet a girl who isn't afraid to take care of herself."

"I take care of everyone else often enough."

The words were so low he barely heard them.

"What was that?"

She shook her head, a tight smile across her lips.

"Nothing . . . uh- I should go. It was nice meeting you!"

She hurried off into the crowd, and Tim couldn't help but think that there was something very special about that girl and her friends. And he was going to figure out what it was.

Meanwhile, while he contemplated her specialness, Lila retched into the bushes outside and really hoped she never saw him again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I still have no self control and I'm not sorry.


	2. Weeping Bird

When Lila saw him again, she ran.

She did not walk, or jog, or skip, she turned on her heel and ran. She had just left the hotel to get a drink from a store nearby. But in the store, standing at the register and having a pleasant conversation with the cashier, was Timothy Drake-Wayne. Third son of a famous billionaire business mogul. Co-CEO of one of the most powerful companies in the world. A boy who made her heart pound against her rib cage in ways so painful she just wanted to open her chest and let it out.

The feeling scares Lila, for she has felt it before. But not so quickly. So immensely. So completely. She wishes for it to go away. Moreover, she hopes he did not see her, and will not follow her.

But Tim does see her.

He does not follow her, but he sees her. And he wonders why a girl who is so strong and beautiful would ever run from anyone. He wonders is she feels the way he does. Like there are birds fluttering in his chest and it is a prison that he would gladly set them free of if he could. He wonders if it scares her as much as it scares him.

Because Tim has never felt this before.

It terrifies him.

~~~~~

When Tim sees Lila, and she does not see him, he takes a moment to look at her. Petite and delicate, her white sun dress and baby doll flats match the tips of her hair, complimented by her sunset orange cardigan and cream colored tights. When he holds out a twenty over her shoulder to pay for her ice cream, she starts.

Her smile is there, but it isn't genuine. Tim can tell the difference. She does not let it reach her eyes. She knows that if she does she will give in. She will agree to anything because she will be so totally consumed by her irrationally quick feelings that she will not even think until after she belongs to this stranger. Body and soul. But that is something she cannot- will not- do again. 

Lila has belonged to people before. She has bent over backwards and let people walk all over her for someone she loved. She has committed minor felonies she was never caught for, she has wormed her way into the most tight knit groups and destroyed them from the inside in irrational jealousy. She has done terrible things and occasionally become her own worst nightmare. Lila loves with everything these she has. But there is not enough of her left to love anymore, so her smile is a shell of what it used to be. 

Tim puts the change he receives from Lila's ice cream into the tip jar and holds out his arm. When she tucks her hand into the crook of his elbow, he thinks his heart will stop. It has gone from pounding in his ears to eerily silent.

He can feel her heartbeat where she leans against his arm, and it is so fast that it feels like the fluttering of the birds in his own ribcage. He decides that yes, she probably is as scared of this as he is.

"So little bird, are you going to tell me why you're running from me?"

The name brings an almost smile to her lips. It is what her friends call her. Her very best friends. Marinette is their bug, cute and small, dangerous if she needs to be. Chloe is the bee, colorful, loud, too protective of her hive to really care about herself. Alya is foxy. She is natural and sly, and she keeps harm from befalling her own. And she is the little bird. She collects what they will need and does her best to assure they can manage on their own. She is quick to warn them when danger comes and push them from the nest one by one. Even if it will mean her downfall.

Thinking of all the times it has been, she does not worry for therm. These have been times when she had her miraculous. When she was brought back by Ladybug's cure or Viperion's second chance. When she has been able to protect them. She no longer bares the scars, but in each place she has gotten a henna tattoo. She wakes early each morning to check them, inking them more firmly onto her skin when they begin to fade. She takes great pride in them.

"Because I don't like the way you make me feel."

Her answer is clear, though her voice shakes a bit. Tim does not know how to respond. His mouth runs away with him.

"I know what you mean. It feels like my chest is a cage for birds, and they're all looking for a way out . . . I don't know this feeling. It's new to me."

Vaguely, she knows she should be surprised. But she isn't. She knows he feels it too- she can feel his heartbeat. Hers echoes it with longing she refuses to give into. She will not make this mistake again.

"Infatuation. Longing. The first steps in a way I've walked before . . . I don't think I can walk that path again."

He has brought her from the busy streets of Gotham to a park devoid of human life. He lets her go long enough to take off his jacket and set it on a slightly damp park bench from the thunder storm the night before. It appears such a natural movement, and he looks at her expectantly. She stares at it for a few moments, uncomprehending.

"You're supposed to sit on it little bird.~"

His tone is teasing, and it brings about another of her almost smiles, which are genuine. She takes the offered seat, and he sits beside her, mindful of her personal space. It is a gesture she appreciates, though she doesn't quite know what to make of it.

". . . I know this feeling. It rarely leads to anything good for me. I'm sorry if this is selfish, but I don't know anything about you. I don't know enough to know I'm not setting myself up for failure. So I can't allow anything to come of . . . whatever this is."

Tim is not surprised that she doesn't want to move quickly. Neither is he surprised that her posture seems to be showing fear. Although, the fire in her eyes says something else entirely.

"That's . . . that's not selfish Lila. That's practical. I don't know anything about you either. I'd like to, but only if you'll let me. I won't push my way into your business. But you seem like a pretty interesting person. I'd like it if you and I could hang out. Maybe get coffee, talk about nothing and everything. I don't know-"

He rubbed at the back of his neck, mentally berating himself. God, why was he so dumb! A girl like this would never think anything of him as Tim. Maybe as Red Robin, but not plain old Tim. What was he-

"I'd like that."

He looked over at her, blinking in surprise as she stood up. What had she just said?

"I'll meet you this afternoon at that little cafe with the purple and blue awning down on Maine. Call it three this afternoon?"

He blinked at her a few more times before nodding.

"Sure, yeah! That's perfect! I'll see you then!"

She giggled, and it was that sound he didn't know he needed the same way he needed oxygen. It filled his insides with soft warmth and a strange satisfaction.

. . .

Oh no-

. . . he was whipped.


	3. Mom Squad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lila is smitten and the girls accidentally tell some classy anti-heroes about their home lives. Adoption shenanigans ensue.

So maybe, Lila decided, Tim wasn't so bad. She could certainly have gotten these feelings for someone a lot worse. From what she could tell, he was a good guy. He tried his best to be considerate of her. He was attentive without crowding her. Which was why, despite her better judgement, she had gone to the cafe across from the hotel she was staying in with him. And why she was now laying facedown on the couch while her friends snickered in the background. She sat up with a pout.

"It's not funny you guys! You know how sucky my luck is when it comes to guys! And he's too good! With my luck he'll turn out to be like- a serial killer or something!"

Alya chuckled from her spot in Marinette's lap, arching an auburn brow.

"I told you, you should try your luck with girls. You'll never even think about guys again."

The bluenette planted a kiss to her girlfriend's bare shoulder in her lilac purple off the shoulder top. Lila couldn't help but be a little envious. They were so happy. Why couldn't she find that? But she really just didn't feel that way about girls. She just sighed.

"Would if I could."

Chloe sat down beside her, setting a hand on her shoulder.

"It's alright birdy. You'll be okay. You know we won't let him hurt you."

The brunette just sighed, laying on her friend's shoulder. What if she hurt him?

~~~~~

The idea had been to go on a freerun to get a bit of excess energy out. Lila had absolutely no idea how they'd gotten to this point, but they were currently sitting in an apartment with the Gotham City Sirens. They were quite friendly actually, making them tea and asking about their lives.

None of them were too keen to talk about their families, but they felt compelled to. Which meant they knew about the neglect Marinette went through that turned to gaslighting when her parents wanted something from her. Thankfully, Jagged had helped her get emancipated. They knew about Alya's big family, the parents that ignored her, the older sister that beat her up and said she was 'making her tougher' never taking no for an answer, the younger sisters that drove her up a wall and undermined her just because they could. They knew about Chloe's parents forgetting she existed, leaving her to be raised by an endless trail of nannies and servants, with a mother who constantly told her she was nothing and a father with no spine. They knew about Lila's drunkard father. The one who abused her mother and hit her when he came home late at night. Who did unspeakable things because she reminded him of her mother when she was younger. The mother who never did anything but teach her to cover the bruises and live with it.

Suffice it to say, the Sirens were not happy. They seemed to communicate with their eyes, not speaking a word. They seemed to reach a conclusion rather quickly, and Catwoman nodded.

"We're keeping you."

Chloe choked on her drink, and Lila rubbed her back as she coughed up her tea. She wasn't quite sure what to make of all this.

"Keeping us?"

Harley nodded, looking serious for once, hands folded in her lap.

"That's right. On the grounds that your families are shitty and you girls deserve better."

Marinette arched a brow, leaning forward a bit, Alya's manicured hand on her bicep.

"But you know next to nothing about us. For all you know, we could be lying."

Poison Ivy smiled at them, devious.

"No, you couldn't be. That tea is one I make myself. It tastes of lavender and jasmine, laced with a truth serum I developed. It's very good for your immune system too."

Catwoman chuckled softly, shaking her head.

"Now that the cat's out of the bag, so to speak, we've got work to do. Harley, would you call Oracle and tell her we need a favor? I'll get our girls were situated."

Alya just looked at them, and murmured a soft phrase that left her in her civilian clothes.

"I don't know why, but I have a feeling we can trust you. I'm Alya, and my boon is that I can feel when people are lying to me."

Lila and Chloe were next.

"Chloe, I can feel the emotional state of those closest to me."

"Lila, I can feel people's deepest desires."

Marinette sighed, muttering her de-transformation phrase, the kwamis zipping off to the kitchen much to Harley's delight as she followed them.

"Marinette . . . My boon is life magic."

~~~~~

Several nights later saw all four girls hopping across the rooftops in their new costumes with their new mentors/mom's thanks to Barbara Gordon who had forged their adoption papers.

Marinette Isley, formerly Dupain-Cheng, hopped or sometimes swung on what bystanders could swear was a yoyo across the rooftops with her new mother, her ladybug suit having changed to become a red qipao with green vine detailing and green tights. Her mask looked to be growing vines as well, framed by strands of midnight blue falling out of her bun, and the spots in her earrings had become five green flower buds. Her name was Miss Fortune, and she ran alongside Poison Ivy, her forest green ballet flats leaving vines creeping up the sides of the sprawling concrete jungle that was Gotham City.

Chloe Quinzel, formerly Bourgeois, darted through the maze of buildings with her mother Harleen, giggling and parkour-ing over any and everything. Her costume had changed, a black miniskirt with honey gold tights, a half black, half yellow off the shoulder top, a mask with the colors on the opposite sides and black high heeled boots. Her hair was up in pigtails and her hair comb had become a brooch, a little bee wearing a jester hat that sat comfortably in the center top of her blouse. A black jacket sat on her shoulders, and printed across the back in bright gold lettering it read 'Better bee-have little bumble'. Her name was Honey Fun, and for some reason no one could understand, she had a cute little spinning top at her side.

Lila and Alya Kyle, formerly Rossi and Cesaire respectively, perched on either side of their mother Selina, watching a museum where a priceless diamond would be transported the next day. Alya sported a black crop top with a burnt orange mesh underneath, bridging the gap to her black leather pants. Her necklace had turned into a fashionable belt, burnt orange and white, and her black boots had white toe beans on the bottom. Her mask was a black cat-eye style, orange slitted cat eyes glowing in the dark. A flute was strapped to her back, though she could use it as a bo staff if she so chose. She looked positively feral.

Lila sported a long sleeved, low-cut dark blue top with a train that went down to her knees. Her pants were black, and her boots were a deep indigo. She carried a fan she could wield will deadly accuracy, and feather shaped knives were hidden on her person as well. Her mask was a delicate black, looking elegant and dangerous, severe blue eyes glowing through it. Her Miraculous was pinned to her top front and center. Both girls let their long hair flow about them, and both had wickedly sharp claws and Selina smiled. Her girls were going to be the envy of everyone.

~~~~~

It wasn't until about a week later that they met the bats. Selina and her girls had gone into the museum to get the diamond, leaving Ivy, Harley, Honey Fun and Miss Fortune to wait for them. When they came back out, Miss Fortune was dangling Nightwing and Robin from a very large vine, being coached by Ivy on how to maintain it. Meanwhile, Honey Fun had tied up the Reds and was chatting animatedly at them, Harley giggling as she dodged Batman.

Selina tapped her sometimes lover on the shoulder, and he turned to her with a disapproving look. It wasn't like she hadn't seen that before, so she elected to ignore it.

"Mind telling me why you and your sons are bothering my girls?"

Batman just grunted at her.

"Where did the kids come from?"

She smiled at him like the cat that got the cream.

"Tabby, Lynx, would you mind coming over her for a moment?"

Her daughter scampered over from where they'd been poking fun at Robin and Nightwing with Miss Fortune. Lynx, AKA Lila, grinned at her.

"Something you need?"

Selina wrapped her arms around her girls, and Tabby, AKA Alya, narrowed her eyes at Bruce.

"Is this guy bothering you mom? I can take care of him if you want."

Bruce sputtered out unintelligible noises. Selina just chuckled.

"No Tabby, that's quite alright. I simply wanted to introduce you. Girls, this is Batman. Batman, say hello to my daughters. This is Tabby and Lynx."

On the other side of the comms units, Oracle was cackling. Bruce could feel the headache forming.


End file.
